MI HB5602

New teachers must be assigned to 1 or more master teachers or college professors as mentors during their first 3 years of employment in classroom teaching.

New teachers must receive at least 15 days of intensive professional development during the 3-year period, including classroom management and instructional delivery based on a professional development plan.

Department shall develop an Innovative Educator Corps program that selects up to 100 educators annually based on performance ratings, student achievement, peer recommendations, and successful implementation of innovative instructional models.

Selected innovative educators receive a yearly stipend between $5,000 and $10,000, business cards identifying them as elite educators, and may serve renewable 3-year terms.

School districts nominate 1 educator per 2,000 pupils and intermediate school districts nominate 1 educator per 5,000 pupils to the state for selection to the corps, with preference given to educators in competency-based education, project-based learning, balanced calendars, and school turnaround efforts.